Lead Contained in Plastic Shopping Bags and its Substance Flow

Abstract

Lead contained in plastic shopping bags was analyzed by X-ray fluorescent analysis. The detection rate of bags which contained lead over 100 ppm was about 17∼18 % of colored bags, 4 % of all bags. Both in 2006 and 2007, average lead concentration was about 310 ppm. Concentration and detection ratio of lead were different according to bags′ color. There were some bags whose lead concentrations were over 10,000 ppm.
The amount of lead in plastic bags which had been thrown away as household waste was estimated to be 0.98∼1.3 tons/year in Kyoto city, which is equivalent to 84∼110 tons/year in all over Japan. Since these bags end up being burned up, it may account for 0.5∼2.0 % or more compared to total incinerated lead in Japan. Also because shopping bags are very popular goods in house, it is desired to decrease lead in bags.